Device and method for measuring pressure exerted on a surface

Abstract

Provided are methods and devices for measuring pressure exerted against a surface. In an aspect, the surface corresponds to the urethra and the device measures the pressure exerted against the urethra. Methods include treatment of a patient suffering urinary stress incontinence. A pressure sensor system is used to determine, pre-surgically, the minimum pressure required to alleviate incontinence. During surgery, the pressure sensor system is employed to ensure the surgical intervention provides a corresponding minimum pressure that was clinically identified. In this manner, the surgical intervention is precisely monitored and measured to insure the appropriate pressure is exerted on the urethra to alleviate stress incontinence, thereby improving surgical outcome and decreasing post-operative complications.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for treatment of urinary stress incontinence of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
 introducing a force or a pressure sensor system on a skin surface of the patient adjacent to the urethra of the patient at a first time in a non-surgical clinical setting, wherein the force or pressure sensor system comprises a force or pressure sensor; 
 applying an application force or pressure onto the force or the pressure sensor system and the underlying urethra in the non-surgical clinical setting, wherein the application force or pressure is sufficient to temporarily alleviate a urinary stress incontinence symptom and the force or pressure sensor is positioned between the application force or pressure and the urethra; 
 identifying a clinically-derived an alleviation output from the force or pressure sensor on the skin surface corresponding to a minimum force or pressure sufficient to alleviate the urinary stress incontinence symptom in the non-surgical clinical setting; 
 inserting a surgical sling to support the urethra in a surgical setting; 
 positioning the force or pressure sensor system to determine a force or pressure exerted by the surgical sling on the urethra at a second time in the surgical setting, wherein the second time in the surgical setting is after the first time in the non-surgical clinical setting; 
 exerting a force or pressure on the urethra by generating a force or pressure on the surgical sling in the surgical setting, wherein the exerted force or pressure is detected by the force or pressure sensor; and 
 matching the exerted force or pressure on the urethra in the surgical setting to the clinically-derived alleviation output in the non-surgical clinical setting, thereby obtaining selecting an optimal generated force or pressure by the surgical sling in the surgical setting, 
 wherein the optimal generated force or pressure by the surgical sling in the surgical setting at the second time is within about 20% of the clinically-derived alleviation output of the identifying step at the first time, thereby treating urinary stress incontinence of the patient. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the force or pressure sensor system comprises:
 a microcontroller operably connected to the force or pressure sensor for processing the output from the force or pressure sensor; and 
 a display operably connected to the microcontroller for displaying the processed output in real-time. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the force or pressure sensor has a footprint area that is less than or equal to 1 cm 2  or a maximum transverse length that is selected from a range that is greater than or equal to 5 mm and less than or equal to 1 cm. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the force or pressure sensor is positioned between the sling and the urethra, further comprising the step of removing the force or pressure sensor by sliding the force or pressure sensor out from between the sling and the urethra after the sling optimal generated force is selected. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the force or pressure sensor provides real-time output by displaying said output from the force or pressure sensor to a display. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning step comprises temporarily affixing the force or pressure sensor to the surgical sling or to the urethra. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alleviation output corresponds to a working force or pressure range that is greater than or equal to a force or pressure sufficient to stop leakage and is less than a force or pressure that stops flow in the urethra. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the force or pressure sensor is affixed to an object that applies the application force to the urethra. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 selecting an input parameter that is matched to a sensitivity range of the force or pressure system to provide sensitivity over a desired application force range; 
 wherein the application force or pressure is within the desired application force range and the input parameter is a driving voltage, a reference resistance, or both, and the application force range is up to 10 pounds of applied force.